Whiffletree attachment



{No Model.)

W. J. LOHR. WHIFPLETREE ATTACHMENT.

Patented July 29, 1890.

5140 ewcoz witnesses 24 m .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM J. LOHR, OF J OHNSTOWVN PENNSYLVANIA.

WHIFFLETREE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,355, dated July 29, 1890.

Application filed May 15, 1890. Serial No. 351,870. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM J LOHR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at J ohnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Whiffletrce Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in attachments for whiflletrees.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and effective means for conneetin g the draft-bars of sin gletrees or doubletrees to a vehicle; and it consists in the improved clevis having bails or loops which can be operated for attachment and detachment, and in a device for engagement therewith, whereby the distance between the doubletree and pole or singlet-rec and thills can be lengthened or shortened within certain limits.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view showing my improved draft or whiflietree attachment applied to both a singletree or doubletree, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the clevis.

Arefers to a doubletree, to one end of which a singletree is shown connected by my improved olevis, the adj ustment-plate 0 being applied to the central clevis of the doubletree.

In practice I propose to make the connections that have heretofore been made by loops, links, or other analogous devices by means of the clevises D D, each of which consists of a central portion E, made up of two plates e and e, the lower plate being provided with upwardly-proj ectin g studs f, which form bearings for the upper plate 6, which is rigidly secured thereto by bolts or rivets. These plates 6 and c are provided with recesses g g, located one above the other, and the lower plate has an additional recess which forms a bearing for a turning pin H, carrying a lug a. One end of the turning pin lies within a perforation in the upper plate, and is key-ended or squared to permit its operation by a suitable key. The links or bails J J are pro vided at one end with offsets or studs, which lie within the recesses g g, and against the rounded ends thereof bear the ends of a spring j, said springs having a tendency to throw the ends of the loops or bails outwardly or away from the central pin or stud which holds the spring 9' in place. The opposite ends of the bails J J have notches 7a, which engage with the studs formed on the plate 6, and when the notches arein engagement therewith the bails or loops will be locked to form a closed link. When it is desired to release the bails or loops so that they maybe turned upon their pivots, the turning pin is turned so as to bring the lug formed thereon in contact with the end of one of the loops J, thus releasing said loop. The opposite loop can also be released by moving the turning pin in the opposite direction. This device forms an effective coupling-link, which cannot readily be detached without employing a key. If, however, it is desired to provide a coupling-link which can be operated without a key, the strength of the spring may be diminished sufficient to permit the loops J to be pushed to one side, so that the notch will be out of engagement and allow the parts to be thrown open. In connection with this device I employ what I term an adjustable link 0, which consists of a flat piece of metal, substantially diamondshaped, and is provided with openings L L, separated from each other by a central portion Z. The configuration of these openings is such that the links J and draft-connecting devices, when it is desired to couple the same closely, may lie in the portions m m of the openings, which are much nearer to each other than the end openingsnn, and by simply turning this plate I am enabled to provide either a long or short link.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A draft-clevis or coupling made up of a central portion consisting ofupper and lower plates rigidly connected to each other and pro vided with studs, loops pivoted between. said plates and provided at their free ends with notches for engagement with the studs, and a spring for holding said loops in engagement with the studs, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a clevis or draft at tachment, of a body portion having recesses, loops having on one end laterally-projecting pins which engage with said recesses and at the opposite end notches, a turning pin carrying a lug for engaging with the notched ends of the loops, so as to throw the same out of engagement with the studs with which said notches engage, and a spring bearing upon the pivoted ends of the loops, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, in a clevis or draft attachment, of a central body portion made up of upper and lower plates rigidlyconnected to each other, said plates having recesses and projecting portions, as shown, loops pivotally secured within said recesses, the oppo-. site ends thereof being notched,and a spring held between said plates so as to throw the pivoted ends of the loops outwardly, substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth. I

4:. In combination with a clevis, a solid link or plate made in a single piece and having oppositely-arranged angle-openings L L, substantially as set forth.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a draftlink made in a single piece and having oppositely-arranged angleopenings L L, the ends of said'openings being of diiferent distances from each other, so as to adapt the device as either a long or short coupling-link, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM J. LOI-IR.

WVitnesses:

JOHN F. KNUFIP, G. W. W. ANRIcK. 

